Ephraim

When Jacob, who was renamed Israel by God, was on his deathbed he blessed Ephraim and gave him the status as one of his sons. Even though Ephraim was the younger of Joseph's sons, Jacob prophesied that he would become greater than his older brother, Manasseh.

Ephraim the younger son of Joseph got the blessing of the first born from Jacob rather than Manasseh who was the first born.

Ephraim in Hebrew means: Double fruitfulness.

Background Reading:

Ephraim

Genesis 48 Some time later Joseph was told, "Your father is ill." So
he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim along with him. 2 When Jacob was told, "Your son Joseph has come to
you," Israel rallied his strength and sat up on the bed.

3 Jacob said to Joseph, "God Almighty
appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and there he blessed me 4 and said to me, 'I am going to make you fruitful
and will increase your numbers. I will make you a community of peoples,
and I will give this land as an everlasting possession to your
descendants after you.'

5 "Now then, your two sons born to you in
Egypt before I came to you here will be reckoned as mine; Ephraim and
Manasseh will be mine, just as Reuben and Simeon are mine. 6 Any children born to you after them will be yours;
in the territory they inherit they will be reckoned under the names of
their brothers. 7 As I was returning from
Paddan, to my sorrow Rachel died in the land of Canaan while we were
still on the way, a little distance from Ephrath. So I buried her there
beside the road to Ephrath" (that is, Bethlehem).

8 When Israel saw the sons of Joseph, he
asked, "Who are these?"

9 "They are the sons God has given me
here," Joseph said to his father.

Then Israel said, "Bring them to me so I may bless them."

10 Now Israel's eyes were failing because
of old age, and he could hardly see. So Joseph brought his sons close to
him, and his father kissed them and embraced them.

11 Israel said to Joseph, "I never expected
to see your face again, and now God has allowed me to see your children
too."

12 Then Joseph removed them from Israel's
knees and bowed down with his face to the ground. 13
And Joseph took both of them, Ephraim on his right toward Israel's left
hand and Manasseh on his left toward Israel's right hand, and brought
them close to him. 14 But Israel reached out
his right hand and put it on Ephraim's head, though he was the younger,
and crossing his arms, he put his left hand on Manasseh's head, even
though Manasseh was the firstborn.

15 Then he blessed Joseph and said,

"May the God before whom my fathers

Abraham and Isaac walked,

the God who has been my shepherd

all my life to this day,

16 the Angel who has delivered me from all harm

—may he bless these boys.

May they be called by my name

and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac,

and may they increase greatly

upon the earth."

17 When Joseph saw his father placing his
right hand on Ephraim's head he was displeased; so he took hold of his
father's hand to move it from Ephraim's head to Manasseh's head. 18 Joseph said to him, "No, my father, this one is
the firstborn; put your right hand on his head."

19 But his father refused and said, "I
know, my son, I know. He too will become a people, and he too will
become great. Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he,
and his descendants will become a group of nations." 20
He blessed them that day and said,

"In your name will Israel

pronounce this blessing:

'May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.'"

So he put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.

21 Then Israel said to Joseph, "I am about
to die, but God will be with you and take you back to the land of your
fathers. 22 And to you, as one who is over your
brothers, I give the ridge of land I took from the Amorites with my
sword and my bow."
Genesis 48:1-22

More Information:

Ephraim in Hebrew means: double fruit. He was the younger son of Joseph [Zaaphnathpaneah which in Egyptian means:- abundance of life] and princess Asenath [which in Egyptian means:- belonging to Neith].